Date: 12/07/09 22:13Re: How about 4-6-4's and 4-8-4's?
Author: AdamPhillips

Nashville, Chattanooga & St Louis J3 Dixie #576 has 70" drivers, roller bearings, and a one-piece cast steel frame. The sole survivor of a 'modern' (1942) class of locomotives, her 57,000 lbs tractive effort (only 1300 lbs less than the GN 2584 at Havre, MT) may not be the highest but enough to grunt with the rest of them. 576 is a "Yellow Jacket" even though it currently sits in a "Stripe" configuration without her skirts and nose cone. These, however, can be fabricated.

Date: 12/08/09 07:33Re: How about 4-6-4's and 4-8-4's?
Author: gra2472

Perhaps it would be prudent to talk to the California State Railroad Museum about the ATSF 2925 in storage. Its about as mechanically new as a retired steam locomotive can be. Its also (I believe) all roller bearing. It looks ugly on the outside but is a real jewel mechanically.

Date: 12/08/09 08:27Re: How about 4-6-4's and 4-8-4's?
Author: HotWater

JAC,

By 1941, all the Burlington S4 and S4a Hudsons had been up-graded to Timken roller bearings on ALL engine and tender axles, at the West Burlington, IA shops. Thus, ANY Burlington 4-8-4 or 4-6-4 is a PRIME candidate for Steve S.

Concerning ANY Santa Fe 2900 class; they are too heavy and large for operations out of Minneapolis/Chicago. Not to mention the "issue" of stay bolt size/spacing for 300PSI working boiler pressure.

A CB&Q O5 or S4 is without a doubt the BEST way to go for Steve. I kept telling him Just that, EVERY DAY, during the 4449 trips this past July!

Date: 12/08/09 09:03Re: How about 4-6-4's and 4-8-4's?
Author: OKTrainboys

This is neither here nor there, but doesn't a CBandQ Northern have the loudest exhaust of all the Northerns? They also appear to have one of the best combo's of tractive effort and speed with those 74inch drivers. All this on a fairly tidy length of just under 103 feet.

Date: 12/08/09 09:58Re: How about 4-6-4's and 4-8-4's?
Author: johnacraft

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> By 1941, all the Burlington S4 and S4a Hudsons had
> been up-graded to Timken roller bearings on ALL
> engine and tender axles, at the West Burlington,
> IA shops. Thus, ANY Burlington 4-8-4 or 4-6-4 is a
> PRIME candidate for Steve S.
>
> A CB&Q O5 or S4 is without a doubt the BEST way to
> go for Steve. I kept telling him Just that, EVERY
> DAY, during the 4449 trips this past July!

I got that impression from the Corbin / Kerka book - glad to know I was wrong.

Date: 12/08/09 10:46Re: How about 4-6-4's and 4-8-4's?
Author: HotWater

OKTrainboys,

The CB&Q S4 Hudsons where even LOUDER than the O5 Northerns. I have ridden in the cab of #5632, back in the early 1960s, and she was without a doubt the loudest main line steam locomotive I have ever been on.

Date: 12/08/09 11:57Re: How about 4-6-4's and 4-8-4's?
Author: Hillcrest

When I was a kid I mowed lawn for a former Milwaukee Road depot agent, and he said the loudest locomotive he ever heard was 'Those Damn "Q" Hudsons, they'd rattle the windows right out of the frames startin' up"....There you have it.

Date: 12/08/09 12:18Re: How about 4-6-4's and 4-8-4's?
Author: doubleheader

Did you ever hear a record called "Remembering When". There is a cut on there with 5632 on a fantrip in the early 60's
recorded in the baggage car right behind the engine. They start-up and its one of the fastest accelerations I have heard here
in the US, and quickly the exhuast is a roar as they hit 80 mph! Incredible. I can still remember my dad playing this record on
our old stero system in the living room around 1970-1975.
As for the Hudsons, they are nice looking as well, and given most Amtrak excursions will require an Amtrak unit anyway, any
loss of extra coaches(I have no idea the difference in pulling power of the two engines). would not matter much cause the Hudson
would likely have backup with the Amtrak diesel, as would the 4-8-4 for that matter. I guess what I am saying is that the size
may not matter in this day and age of diesel assisting most trains. I would like to see either one of these types operate, and they
would be true to the region.
Greg Scholl

When Santa Fe brought that "2900" to Cleburne Tx for evaluation in the 1980s, it was estimated that it would take over $325,000 dollars BACK THEN to get it running and that changed their minds and it was sent back to Belen. And, since one is being rebuilt in Albuquerque I would not think someone would go to the trouble of another one. Those long tenders create problems of their own with total engine length.

Date: 12/08/09 16:54Re: How about 4-6-4's and 4-8-4's?
Author: HotWater

Actually the 2925 was sent to Cleburn TX for "evaluation" back in 1974/1975 as potential power for the American Freedom Train, within the state of Texas. The Santa Fe "backed out", so to speak, and the T&P #610 was quickly made ready to run (by the late Dick Jensen). The 2925 was then sent back to Belen, NM and eventually the whole Santa Fe "collection" was given to the California State Railroad Museum.

Here is a rough snap shot of the Santa Fe 2913 taken while it was raining & snowing in Riverview Park, Fort Madison, Iowa.
I'll 2nd the nomination for the Santa Fe 2926 in ABQ to be the next runner!
Steve Rippeteau

Date: 12/09/09 09:17Re: How about 4-6-4's and 4-8-4's?
Author: SilverSky

bnsfbob Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> OKTrainboys Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > This is neither here nor there, but doesn't a
> > CBandQ Northern have the loudest exhaust of all
> > the Northerns?
>
> Yes and the sound of the 5632 on the West
> Burlington hill was indelibly imprinted on my five
> year old brain. I would give anything to hear that
> sound again.
>
> Bob

As a twelve year old the first time I rode up W. Burlington hill behind 5632, I second your remarks, Bob. If you can find a copy of Mobile Fidelity's "Sunday Only", you can sort of get the idea if your speakers will take the audio onslaught.